Underrated Jazz Trumpeter Woody Shaw’s Blackstone Legacy
October 25, 2014 | Posted in JAZZ, MUSIC | By Jason Sositko
Woody Shaw: One of the last great Trumpet Innovators Woody Shaw’s Blackstone Legacy is thought to be the trumpeters answer to Miles Davis and his Jazz Rock masterpiece Bitches Brew. That comparison has always baffled me, other than the use
Whatever Happened to Tenor Saxophonist Tyrone Washington?
October 25, 2014 | Posted in JAZZ | By Jason Sositko
What might have been for jazz Dec. 29, 1967 is a date that could have marked the beginning of legendary jazz career. Instead, the one recording as a leader for Blue Note Records from Tyrone Washington, was his only one
Artistry in Rhythm: A Must Have Stan Kenton DVD
October 24, 2014 | Posted in JAZZ, MUSIC, ORCHESTRAL MUSIC | By Jason Sositko
Are you in the cult of Stan Kenton? Stan Kenton is one of those modern jazz legends whose importance is gauged equally by those who champion his art, and those who deride it. Many critics point to his bombast, or
Don Ellis Electric Heart DVD 2014: A Must Have Document of Musical Genius
October 17, 2014 | Posted in JAZZ, ORCHESTRAL MUSIC | By Jason Sositko
Underrated Big Band Leader and Film Score Composer Donald Johnson Ellis was one of the most underrated musicians of the 20th Century. Don unfortunately passed away at the age of 44 during the year 1978. His early death more than
A Love Supreme: An Unlikely Platinum Jazz Record From John Coltrane
October 14, 2014 | Posted in JAZZ, MUSIC | By Jason Sositko
A Love Supreme is not smooth jazz Did you know A Love Supreme from John Coltrane is the second best-selling modern jazz record of all time? Only Kind of Blue from Miles Davis has sold more. A Love Supreme released
Before They Were The Police: Stewart Copeland, Sting and Andy Summers
September 22, 2014 | Posted in CLASSIC ROCK, PROGRESSIVE ROCK | By sockii
Before The Police became one of the top pop-rock acts of the early 1980s, each member of the band had already been involved in the music industry for a considerable amount of time. Bassist/singer Sting, drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers were all talented musicians, yet their…
John Taylor: In The Pleasure Groove
September 17, 2014 | Posted in MUSIC, NON-FICTION | By sockii
Like many teenage girls in the 1980s, I was a huge “Duranie” and went through a phase of being madly in love with John Taylor, the gorgeous bassist of my favorite band at the time: Duran Duran. While that teenage crush might have faded through the years (or shall we say matured?), I remain…
Book Review: Chris Campion’s Walking on the Moon: The Untold Story of the Police and the Rise of New Wave Rock
August 24, 2014 | Posted in CLASSIC ROCK, NON-FICTION | By sockii
Chris Campion’s Walking on the Moon: The Untold Story of the Police and the Rise of New Wave Rock is, quite easily, the most negatively-toned rock “biography” – and I use that term very lightly in this case – I can recall ever reading. While there is some interesting information contained within the book’s 300 pages, each of those pages is so thoroughly laced with…
Oysterhead: A Brief Introduction
August 23, 2014 | Posted in ROCK | By sockii
Oysterhead is the curious musical supergroup composed of three very different artists and personalities: guitarist Trey Anastasio (best known for his work with Phish), bassist Les Claypool (of Primus), and drummer Stewart Copeland (The Police, Animal Logic, and other bands)…
Book Review: Secret Police Man By Henry Padovani
August 22, 2014 | Posted in NON-FICTION, ROCK | By sockii
Those interested in the punk and new wave music scene of London in the late 70s and early 80s should find an interesting perspective in “Secret Police Man”, the autobiography of The Police’s first guitarist, Henry Padovani…
